Car accidents can be overwhelming, but if you have recently been in one, there are several things you should do as soon as possible. One of your biggest priorities is getting medical attention. Even if you feel fine, your injuries may not surface until days after the accident, including whiplash, a common injury that may take some time to emerge.

Whether you have apparent injuries or aren’t sure, it’s essential to go directly to the Emergency Room right after the collision to check for internal injuries, head injuries, and more. We recommend seeking emergency help since your primary care physician may not be set up to handle accident victims. They may not have the medical billing insurance system in place to properly bill a car accident.

If you have been injured, it’s essential that you don’t waste precious time.

When You Should See a Chiropractor

If you are experiencing whiplash, you should visit a chiropractor immediately after your treatment at the ER. Waiting until after a settlement from the car crash to begin chiropractic treatment could pause your healing process. Even if you do not have health insurance that will cover chiropractic care, and most insurance providers will, you may be able to receive reimbursement for the chiropractor after the settlement. Getting a settlement can be a lengthy process, even with an experienced attorney. It may take some time to gather evidence, witness statements, and medical reports.

Generally, you will want to see a chiropractor within 72 hours of the crash. Chiropractic treatment is a holistic form of medicine that does not use surgery or other invasive procedures. Most chiropractors can treat whiplash and other car accident injuries.

During your initial visit, your Everett or local chiropractor will conduct a physical examination, note your medical history, and take x-rays. In many cases, they will not perform an adjustment during this visit.

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash often happens if your car has been rear-ended by another motor vehicle. The force of the impact may cause your head and neck to move back and forth suddenly, like a whip. This can form severe pressure on the soft tissues and the intervertebral discs.

Whiplash Symptoms

Commonly, neck pain is the most immediate sign of whiplash, but there are other signs. If you have been rear-ended, you may also experience:

• Arm pain
• Pain in the shoulders
• Back pain
• Blurry vision
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Insomnia
• Dizziness
• Depression

It can take up to 48 hours for you to feel the effects of whiplash that can continue worsening. When looking for a chiropractor, look for someone who has experience with car accident injuries. Some chiropractors may specialize in sports injuries or other types of pain.

If you have a personal injury lawyer, they may be able to recommend a reputable healer.

Chiropractic Treatment in Everett for Whiplash

There are various forms of chiropractic treatment for whiplash, including spinal manipulation by hand. Treatment for whiplash and other injuries can also involve electrical muscle stimulation, massage, ultrasound, and other non-invasive practices.

Overall, seeking chiropractic attention may even reduce your overall medical bills since they can reduce the risk of re-injury or making the injury worse. The length of your treatment can vary. There is no way to predict how long it will take. Some patients only require a few sessions, while others may take a month or even ongoing chiropractic care since whiplash can become chronic. Take care of yourself and don’t let things get potentially worse. Everett Spine & Rehab is here to help find the best treatment for you car accident injury. Please call us to schedule your Everett Chiropractic appointment today: 425-347-8614.

Ability to Get Back to Normal

A study published in Medicine (Baltimore) showed that a 4-week inpatient interdisciplinary program of physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, and strength/endurance training helped car accident victims in many areas of life in the months that followed. The patients were able to increase their working hours from 0 at the onset of the injury to 21 hours a week after 6 months and 30 hours a week after 60 months. These patients were also less likely to “catastrophize” and ranked themselves lower on the pain scale.

Addressing “Invisible” Injuries

Of the injury-causing collisions that happened in the US during the last year data was available, 31.4% were rear-ending crashes. These types of crashes are notorious for causing whiplash, which is an injury to the soft tissue of the neck typically caused by a sudden overextension. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, whiplash symptoms can occur immediately after the trauma, or they can set in many days later. For this reason, many car accident victims have “invisible” injuries. They might look healthy and well to the people around them and even to themselves for a few days. Physical therapy can help address the underlying issues that might not be obvious to the onlooker. Range of motion exercises through a therapy program can help address stiffness and prevent chronic headaches and neck pain.

Preventing Chronic/Long-Term Pain

Physical therapy can prevent long term pain later on. A study out of Japan showed that a physical therapy program given to Whiplash Affective Disorder patients with indefinite pain reduced their symptoms by 80 percent. On average, they initially reported 13.1 symptoms, which decreased to only two at discharge.

Lessening the Need for Certain Surgeries

The need for certain surgeries to address lower back pain can be eliminated with physical therapy. While spinal stenosis is not usually caused by trauma, something like a car accident can make underlying cases come to light. A study conducted by Harvard followed a group of patients who underwent physical therapy for their low back pain and a group who underwent surgery. Two years after the beginning of therapy or surgery, both groups had made equal progress in pain and physical function.

Reducing Need for Pain Medication

Physical therapy can help minimize necessary dosages of pain medication. In a study conducted on pain management in trauma, researchers found that a routine of physical therapy could reduce a patient’s need for opioids. Since most injured car accident victims have to take medication of some kind, physical therapy could play a huge role in preventing reliance/addiction to these medications.

If you are looking for non-invasive treatment for your car accident injury, please contact us. We are located in Everett, near Lynnwood, Marysville and Mill Creek.

Sources:

Ahmadi, A., Bazargan-Hejazi, S., Heidari Zadie, Z., Euasobhon, P., Ketumarn, P., Karbasfrushan, A., Amini-Saman, J., & Mohammadi, R. (2016). Pain management in trauma: A review study. Journal of injury & violence research, 8(2), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.5249/jivr.v8i2.707

Haiduk, P., Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Gysi-Klaus, F., Aeschlimann, A., Michel, B. A., & Angst, F. (2017). Interdisciplinary rehabilitation after whiplash injury: An observational prospective 5 years outcome study. Medicine, 96(9), e6113. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000006113

Matsui, T., Iwata, M., Endo, Y. et al. Effect of intensive inpatient physical therapy on whole-body indefinite symptoms in patients with whiplash-associated disorders. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 20, 251 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-019-2621-1

Howard, L., M.D. (2020, June 17). Physical therapy as good as surgery and less risky for one type of lower back pain. Retrieved December 04, 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/physical-therapy-as-good-as-surgery-and-less-risky-for-one-type-of-lower-back-pain-201504097863

National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. (2018). National Statistics. Retrieved December 04, 2020, from https://cdan.nhtsa.gov/tsftables/National%20Statistics.pdf

Whiplash Information Page. (2019, March 27). Retrieved December 04, 2020, from https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/whiplash-information-page

Here’s everything you need to know about whiplash:

Q: What is whiplash?
A: Whiplash is soft tissue damage that is often caused by a car accident injury. Any injury or incident in which you are whipped violently forward and then jerked back can lead to whiplash, though.
This can affect the neck, back, or shoulders. You may feel stiffness, intense pain, and be unable to lift your arm or turn your head.

Q: I was just in an auto accident and I don’t feel any pain yet. Does this mean I don’t have a whiplash injury?
A: No, it does not mean you don’t have a whiplash injury. The adrenaline and shock of the auto accident is so strong it may be days before you feel any pain. In some instances, it takes a week for the pain to develop.

Q: Does whiplash get worse over time?
A: Yes, whiplash injuries tend to get worse over time. This is, of course, if they’re left untreated. To prevent chronic pain, you should get medical treatment for your injuries, such as through a chiropractor.

Q: How is whiplash treated?
A: A chiropractor will use techniques like adjustments, manipulations, and spinal decompressions to correct spinal misalignments, reduce the pressure on pinched nerves, and heal the injured soft tissue. By releasing healing nutrients to the damaged tissue, pain is greatly reduced.

About Everett Spine & Rehab, Your Choice for Whiplash Care after an Auto Injury

If you just had an auto injury and you need treatment for your whiplash, come to us at Everett Spine & Rehab. Our trained chiropractors treat migraines, headaches, back pain, neck pain, auto accident injuries, and more.

Through our services–massage therapy, physical therapy, and chiropractic care–you can get pain relief for your car accident injury. Call us today at 425-347-8614 or stop by Everett Spine & Rehab on 927 128th Street Southwest, Suite B. We’re located near:

West Lake Stevens, WA.
Marysville, WA.
Mukilteo, WA.
Snohomish, WA.
Mill Creek, WA.
North Marysville, WA.
Martha Lake, WA.
North Creek, WA.